After the required time period for accepting nominations concluded, the King County Bar Association New Lawyers Division (NLD) has nominated a slate of candidates for the upcoming vacancies on the NLD Board. The NLD Bylaws prescribe that the Nominations Committee shall nominate at least one candidate for each member vacancy to be filled.
The Committee has nominated one candidate for each open position as follows: Alyssa Nevala, currently serving as NLD Vice Chair, for a one-year term as Chair; Ian Brown, currently serving his third and final year of his term as a Trustee, for a one-year term as At-Large Member; Laurel Brown, Matthew Audish, Brittney Rivers, and Jason Gillis have been nominated for three-year terms.
NLD members who wish to challenge the slate may run against the above-named candidates by submitting a petition signed by at least five members of the NLD in good standing (25 signatures if challenging the chair position) and filing that petition with the office of the King County Bar Association on or before 3:00 p.m. Friday June 9, 2023. For more information about the petition process please contact KCBA Member Services Director, Bridget Schuster, at bridgets@kcba.org. The slate was previously published via email to the NLD membership on Thursday, May 25.
An electronic election will occur only if a petition to challenge one or more candidates is received by the deadline. If an election is required, members will be sent a voting link by June 15 via their email address on file with KCBA.
2023–2024 New lawyers Division
Board of Trustees Candidates
Alyssa Nevala / Candidate for Chair Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala, PLLC
Alyssa Nevala is an associate attorney at Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC, in its Seattle office. At PCVA, Alyssa is involved in childhood sexual assault cases primarily related to crimes committed decades ago and covered up by those entrusted with children. Her work at PCVA also includes representing adult survivors of sexual assault and holding the institutions and perpetrators accountable for the abuse and trauma inflicted on her clients. Alyssa also handles workplace sexual harassment cases and understands the myriad ways sexual harassment can infect a work environment.
Beyond her role at PCVA and as incoming Chair of NLD, Alyssa is also a member of the Washington State Association for Justice, Washington Young Lawyers Committee, Washington Women Lawyers, Washington Employment Lawyers Association, and the Trial Lawyers College. Alyssa is the first lawyer in her large family, and switched careers back in 2017.
In her free time, Alyssa enjoys figure skating and taking her Samoyed dog on long walks, or “adventures.”
Matthew Audish / Candidate for Trustee Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC
As a first-generation attorney, I understand the difficulties associated with learning the profession, acclimating to a law firm setting, and developing a practice. New attorneys often do not know what they do not know, and do not have a network of contemporaries that can offer guidance, assistance, and encouragement. I hope to be a friendly face for new attorneys in King County. I want to foster an environment in which people can ask questions, build relationships, and establish roots in the King County legal community. The New Lawyers Division is the perfect place for such an environment to thrive.
The legal profession is challenging yet rewarding, and the New Lawyers Division has been a central component to my development as an attorney. As I enter my second year in practice, I want to pass along the lessons I’ve learned to fellow new lawyers. Collaboration is an essential element of our profession, and the local bar association is an accessible, welcoming resource to help new members learn and grow in our legal community. Networking events, CLEs, and community outreach are just a few activities with which I plan to assist as a trustee. I believe that creating opportunities for members to get involved will not only help advance individual careers but also advance the profession in King County. I intend to play a small part in doing so in my role.
Laurel Brown / Candidate for Trustee Corr Cronin, LLP
Laurel Brown is a civil litigation associate at Corr Cronin in Seattle with strong interests in intellectual property and appellate law. Having survived a pandemic-interrupted law school experience at Seattle University, Laurel graduated in 2021 and went to work at the Washington State Supreme Court, clerking for Justice Charles Johnson. A non-traditional student starting out in her second (or possibly third or fourth) career as a lawyer, she is interested in connecting and sharing experiences with new lawyers who don’t fit the “standard” mold. Laurel is a quasi-native of King County who grew up in the area and always seems to return, no matter where else she goes.
Jason Gillis / Candidate for Trustee Seattle Truck Law, PLLC
Jason began his career in corporate finance, including spending a decade at Warner Bros. Studios where he served as a director of finance. Jason’s work in Hollywood left him yearning for a more meaningful career helping others, so he returned home to the Pacific Northwest and began working as a Plaintiff’s lawyer, zealously fighting for those who have been injured by others.
After attending Willamette University College of Law, Jason represented clients injured by pharmaceutical companies. Jason’s practice expanded into employment law, where he served as a fierce advocate for employees who were injured by large corporate employers. Tenacity, perseverance, and dedication enabled Jason to diligently represent his clients, resulting in a proven record of success.
Jason found the answer in his quest to help others at Seattle Truck Law, where he passionately works to help innocent victims who have suffered serious injuries through the negligence and recklessness of others. As a former plaintiff himself, Jason endured extended litigation against a powerful corporation. That experience informs Jason’s client relationships with an additional layer of empathy and connection, which enhances his understanding of the importance of timely communication in keeping the client informed and comfortable throughout the litigation process.
Brittney Rivers / Candidate for Trustee Ashbaugh Beal, LLP
After graduating from University of Washington in 2018, I worked at a small employment law firm for two years. I was lucky to gain meaningful experience early on in my career, including taking two cases to trial in 2019 and arguing another case before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020. In October 2020, I moved to Ashbaugh Beal, where I am on the litigation team. In addition to employment law, I now handle a variety of other civil litigation, including shareholder/member disputes, breach of contract claims, construction delay claims, tort claims, and property disputes.
I want to serve on the NLD Board to help build the community of new attorneys and provide mentorship opportunities. I was a member of the NLD for two years before COVID started. I regularly attended the programing and found it was one of the best networking opportunities available to me. I was able to meet people at similar places in their careers in a relaxed setting. I felt like I could have more meaningful conversations because everyone was at a similar place in their careers, and I felt like I was not alone in going through the steep learning curve I was experiencing. Unfortunately, I found COVID to be a huge roadblock to getting to meet and connect with our cohort of attorneys, and at a critical time in our careers. I would love to be able to help develop opportunities for newer attorneys to get back together, to meet each other, and to help each other.
